The health-related goal of this research proposal is to develop efficient total syntheses of vernolepin and vernomenin, in order that substantial amounts of these biologically important sesquiterpenes will be available for studies of their anti-cancer activity. We also wish to develop a low cost synthesis of the important anthracycline antibiotic (e.g., daunomycin) which are established antineoplastic agents used for this clinical treatment of a broad spectrum of human cancers. We wish to make these syntheses sufficiently flexible so that preparation of derivatives would be possible.